The Leap of Faith
by EwigeStudentin
Summary: A security threat brings up the issue of the Maquis yet again and makes the commanding team define some parameters. Set in the beginning of season 1.
1. Meet Your New XO

_**The Leap of Faith**_

Rating: PG (T).

Pairing: J/C UST.

Summary: A security threat brings up the issue of the Maquis yet again and makes the commanding team define some parameters.

A/N #1: This story deviates from canon when it comes to the smooth integration of the Maquis into the Voyager crew. It is set around the episode "The Cloud" except for the first chapter.

A/N #2: This story was written for Secret Santa 2009 for Joywriter. Many thanks to Joywriter for her inspiring request! Many thanks to Polomare for her beta services. This story would never be finished without her. In fact, she did a lot more than a beta is supposed to do. She actually wrote two scenes for this story. So you know, these are my favorite scenes :-)

* * *

_**Chapter 1. Meet Your New XO.**_

"Captain's private log.

It's our third day in the Delta Quadrant. My officers don't let chaos and panic take over the ship, but it's been close on many occasions. The danger from the Kazon is not imminent at the moment; it's time to face the issue of the Maquis crew.

Tuvok persuaded me to make Chakotay my first officer. He has a point, as usual. It is the logical course of action. Chakotay seems to concur. However, my instinct tells me there is something about this man… something that could someday – not soon, but in the distant future – endanger the well-being of the ship. I understand that's the only chance we all can survive, though. I have to make a leap of faith. My training and experience rebel against the very idea but there's no way the Starfleet crew will accept the Maquis if I don't make the first step.

I can only hope I won't regret it.

End of the private log."

-----

Kathryn Janeway walked down the corridor to Chakotay's quarters. Her hand jerked back from the chime as she saw the engraving beneath it: "Lt. Cmdr. Cavit". Sad and a little angry at her reaction, she pushed the button with much more force than necessary. The doors slid apart, letting her in.

"What can I do for you, Captain?" Chakotay was sitting on a sofa with his eyes closed. Soft light left deep shadows in corners of the room, but it was still enough to see that it was empty but for the standard 'Fleet table, chairs, and sofa.

"I've got something for you." Janeway set a tiny flowerpot on the corner of the table.

Chakotay looked at her first and then turned his head slowly to the table.

"A cactus?"

"It's a housewarming gift. I hope you like it."

"Thank you, but it was not necessary."

Janeway surveyed the room that was totally devoid of any personal affects. She pointed to the wide sill before the view port, right behind Chakotay's shoulder. "Put it there. Not that it would get more sunlight there but nonetheless."

"Thank you, Captain." A moment of silence followed. "Anything else?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." Janeway passed him a large box she'd been holding for the whole time.

Chakotay opened it without hurry. The command red left no room for misinterpretation. It was a Starfleet uniform, carefully folded, with a rank plank lying on top of it.

"I took the liberty to make this one for you. Don't ask me how many tries it took given my affection for replicators." She shot Chakotay a toothy grin. "I input your physical parameters into the computer and it suggested Male Earth Size 10 for you. But I decided you'd look better in a 9."

For the first time on Voyager, Chakotay smiled widely, flashing his dimples.


	2. The Conspiracy

_**Chapter 2. The Conspiracy.**_

A blurred furry ball crossed the bridge at top speed. It came to halt against the doors of the ready room with a thud. A speckled hand hit the visitor button in hurry, missed it, tried again. No answer.

Neelix turned around and looked over the bridge, huffing. Most workstations were unmanned. Ensign Wildman was peeping from behind her science console, smiling politely, her eyes fixed on the unexpected visitor, her hand moving slowly, warily, poised to key in the red alert code.

Tuvok, the only other officer on the bridge, stood up from the captain's chair.

"Have you lost your way, Mr. Neelix?"

"Oh no, no. I must talk to the Captain." Neelix stepped forward. "Urgently."

"May I bring to your attention that the time is 22:17. It is beta shift. The Captain is off duty."

"But it's a matter of Voyager's safety!" Neelix stepped closer. "Our lives may be at stake!"

"I am in fact the Chief of Security. Besides, I am in command during this shift. It would be appropriate to present your matter to me and not to bother the Captain." Tuvok made a tiny step back, restoring a comfortable distance between him and the gesticulating Talaxian.

"But…" Neelix moved closer and leaned in to whisper in Tuvok's ear, "I don't know whom I can trust."

Ensign Wildman watched Tuvok making one more step backwards. It was nearly amusing. She allowed herself to relax and erased the almost entered command. Neelix might be agitated – but he was not dangerous, not at the moment.

"You can trust every member of this crew equally. Now present your case."

"Trust? Trust?! I have the evidence." Neelix stepped forward. "Somebody was in my ship." One more step. "I found it not like I had left it. They tinkered with the control panel." One more step. "I think they tried to hijack my Baxial!"

Tuvok found himself maneuvered into the corner with his back against the wall. Neelix's eyebrows were tickling his chin as the Talaxian was nodding meaningfully to magnify the effect of his accusations.

"Mister Neelix." Tuvok wiggled himself past the furry eyebrows. "This situation may indeed present a significant threat. I shall investigate. Please accompany me to the Baxial."

Tuvok requested an officer to the bridge and entered the turbolift with Neelix.

-----

The Baxial was searched and secured in the shortest time. The corridor in front of Tuvok's office became crowded. More and more sleepy crew members came to join the waiting line. People were asked in one by one, released after several minutes, and accompanied to their quarters by the security staff.

The others were getting grouchy as the time passed by. Torres and Jonas were arguing about something in a whisper, squatting in the corner. They were both picked up from Engineering. Their brand new uniforms were tugging on their knees, and they had to eventually return to their slightly more comfortable standing position. B'Elanna turned to the man on her other side.

"Do you know what's going on, Hogan?"

"Not a clue. They dragged me here without any explanation."

"Doyle? Henley? Suder?"

Crewmen in question shook their heads. B'Elanna looked at the other group.

"Chell? Dalby? Gerron? Wait…" She stood up and walked down the corridor, stopping next to Ayala. "How come I don't see a single 'Fleet ass in the line?"

It took the others one more moment to realize that apparently only the Maquis would be interrogated. A hum of angry voices filled the corridor. The security officer stepped back, put his hand on his sidearm and informed his superior over the comm.

The doors of the office opened and Tuvok approached the waiting people.

"Is there a problem?"

"Hell yes!" B'Elanna jumped forward. "Nobody cares to tell us what's going on!"

"Traitor." Whispered somebody in the background, loud enough for everybody to hear.

Tuvok explained evenly. "There is a security problem that has to be investigated."

"Are _we_ your security problem? The Maquis? Why don't you simply lock us up in the cargo bay for the rest of the trip? Starfleet has done everything to intimidate and weaken us short of blowing us out the airlock since we rescued their sorry asses."

"Lieutenant junior grade Torres, calm down. You are not in the position to profit from more of my attention."

"More of your attention? Is that what Jonas got last week?"

"Crewman Jonas tried to access our shields specs. That was unacceptable."

"Almost all Starfleet personnel have access to these specs. Apparently it is a kind of a privilege. Jonas is an engineer, he needs these specs to do his job."

"May I remind you that the access was attempted from his quarters?"

B'Elanna turned to the group of the Maquis behind her.

"Need I remind you that there are double standards on this ship?"

Dalby stepped forward.

"You never let the Maquis out of sight on the away missions. There is no holodeck time for the Maquis. Even in the mess hall Starfleet sit by themselves and the Maquis by themselves."

Nothing moved in Tuvok's face. "The Maquis have proven to be insubordinate. They are late for duty, they argue about orders, they make mistakes. They make no effort to improve the personal and professional relationship with the Starfleet crew. They still have to earn our trust."

"Don't forget that you still have to earn our trust, too, and that will not happen till Gre'thor freezes over!" B'Elanna almost spit in Tuvok's face. The sentiments on Tuvok's betrayal were shared in the small group, with many a Maquis bearing a grudge against him for that.

Suddenly Torres was pulled away from Tuvok. Chakotay stood between them, holding B'Elanna back with one strong hand.

"What's going on here? Anybody care to enlighten me?"

"It is your gamma shift and you are not on the bridge, sir?"

"It was your beta shift and you were not on the bridge, either, Tuvok. So?"

"Would you come to my office, Commander. I have some important information to share."

"Hey, we have the right to hear everything, too!" B'Elanna demanded, supported by the group.

"Go ahead, Tuvok." Chakotay nodded.

"Very well, sir. Mister Neelix walked in on conspirators when he came to his ship to collect some personal belongings. They activated a site-to-site transport before he could recognize them. He concludes that nothing is missing from his equipment, however, everything was removed from the main control panel and several sensors were activated from it. It looks like somebody was preparing the Baxial to leave our cargo bay, sir. I have a reason to think that somebody was going to defect to the Kazon."

The group in the corridor was silent for a moment, digesting the shocking information. Chakotay was definitely the first one to come to senses.

"What a thrilling hypothesis, Tuvok. Although I believe it is one huge misunderstanding. But why do you suspect the Maquis to go to the Kazon, anyway? On the Baxial??" Somebody snorted.

Tuvok went back to his office and returned a moment later with a Maquis leather jacket and a PADD in his hands.

"These were found on the Baxial. They don't belong to Neelix."

B'Elanna chuckled.

"It's a small lady's jacket. No chance for Neelix to put it on… unless he sheds that turtle shell…"

There were giggles to hear. Dalby elbowed B'Elanna. "Thank you for the mental image."

Chell cut in. "Hey, I share my quarters with that guy. I will readily exchange your mental image for my real ones!"

More giggles. Tuvok remained unimpressed. "The PADD contains tactical information on the Kazon."

Chakotay's voice could be heard clearly in the silence that followed. "I dropped it."

"But Commander… the jacket?"

"You are too nosey for a Vulcan, Tuvok. The jacket belongs to my… date. Kind of." Chakotay added under his breath.

Seska cast a glance at Chakotay. He didn't notice.

"Tuvok, let these good people go back to bed. I promise there's no conspiracy here. And – may I have those back, please?"

"As you wish, Commander." Tuvok passed the items to Chakotay, relieved his staff with a nod and headed for the turbolift. Nobody followed him. The Maquis waited a bit and returned to their quarters in small groups, discussing the incident and looking secretly at Chakotay. He left in the general direction of the bridge, talking to no one.


	3. What Happens in the Cargo Bay

_**Chapter 3. What Happens in the Cargo Bay, Stays in the Cargo Bay.**_

Chakotay exited the turbolift on deck 3 and walked to his quarters. His hand paused before keying in the command, and he glanced at the next door down the corridor. He could give her the jacket right now. It was way past midnight but he was somehow sure that she wasn't asleep yet. However, the circumstances of his last visit to the Captain's quarters made him think twice before dropping in like this.

* * *

- Earlier that evening -

When Chakotay saw the Captain's bun amid the containers with the samples from the last away mission, he was sure he finally found the right cargo bay. She was engrossed in her work so he could approach her unnoticed.

"Getting your hands dirty in your downtime?"

Janeway turned around and Chakotay realized that she was wearing level 3 protection gloves that reached up to her shoulder.

"Figuratively," he added hastily.

"Helps me think, Commander. Besides, it's fun."

"Cataloguing alien goo is fun? Ewww… Anyhow, I was looking for you."

"Ah, and I thought you lost your way."

"No, or actually, yes, but not more than usually." Chakotay smiled and perched on one of the containers, carefully checking the cover first. "It's hard to get used to 'Fleet dimensions, you know, after years of flying ships that consist of one deck that is bridge, cargo bay, crew's quarters and mess hall in one."

"You'd be the first one to complain about Voyager." Janeway pulled off one glove and brushed a stray strand from her forehead with a smile.

"On the bright side, I love the food."

Janeway followed Chakotay's eyes to the Baxial that stood in the dark corner of the cargo bay and burst into laughter.

"You can't blame me for that, Neelix isn't really with Starfleet."

"What about the 'Fleet uniform you gave me several weeks ago? It scratches around the neck and it's too narrow in places so that it sends such parts of me to sleep that I wasn't even aware of."

"Then see that you don't fall down from this container if you are talking about your… legs."

She was so beautiful when laughing. Her eyes brightened and her cheeks blushed a little. Such a sincere reaction was like a wave of fresh air after all the tension that surrounded him on Voyager since day one.

Chakotay pulled a bundle that he was hiding behind his back.

"Here, for you. I hope this will make us even."

Janeway shot him a lopsided smile.

"I don't have to get a security officer to open it for me, right?"

"Only if you want the poor man to have indecent fantasies for the next seventy years."

Janeway weighted the bundle in her hand. It seemed to be a carefully folded garment. The leather surface was smooth and warm and very pleasant to touch. She found a brim and shook up the bundle with one sudden movement. It unfolded to a tan Maquis jacket that seemed to be handcrafted, with its irregular pattern of perfect seams.

"It's beautiful, Chakotay, thank you. But I can't take it."

"Because it's Maquis?"

_No, because then you'd be the one to have those fantasies for the next seventy years._

Chakotay continued without noticing Janeway's grin. "See it as, well, as a cultural exchange."

"You realize I won't be able to wear it."

"Even off-duty?"

"Especially not off-duty."

"Come on, Captain. You can't even start imagining how long this jacket took me."

"You didn't sew it by hand, did you?"

"No, but I programmed every single stitch. I wish after the fact that I did it manually. Would spare me a lot of time let alone my replicator rations."

Janeway tried not to imagine Chakotay with a needle, failed and grinned again. "I appreciate your determination, but it was really not necessary."

Chakotay came closer to her. "See? All red." He showed her the side of his neck, pulling the collar of his turtleneck down a little. "I tell you, Starfleet uniforms will be my undoing. It's not really much when I ask you to try this one on. You'll find it surprisingly comfortable – after your uniform anyway."

Janeway didn't see that anything was wrong with Chakotay's neck but she felt compelled to find a diplomatic answer soon, before her newly-fledged first officer showed more skin to get his point across.

"Maybe in my free time… on an alien planet… in a place where Starfleet regulations don't apply." She patted herself on her shoulder mentally. No shore leave was planned for the next several months.

"On an alien planet, where Starfleet regulations don't apply, I could easily ask you out for a date," supplied Chakotay, flashing his dimples.

Janeway frowned. This man enjoyed pushing the line. She'd make it stop immediately if she thought there was anything serious behind it. However, something told her that he was doing it merely for her sake. He was charming, eloquent and entertaining in his downtime and professional and respectful on duty. No, this man was not going to cross the line.

He was still looking at her, mischief flashing in his eyes. She was supposed to say something.

"Don't make me leave you without shore leave for the rest of the journey, Commander. It would be most unfortunate."

Suddenly her smug smile faded out and she fetched a tricorder from her tool box. She pushed the jacket in Chakotay's hand and made several steps towards the Baxial. Then she shook her head and came back to the containers.

"I thought I saw something, but there's nothing on the tricorder."

Then from the corner of his eye, Chakotay, too, saw a blurred movement in darkness that surrounded the old freighter. It was something small, but it was definitely there.

-

Back in the corridor on deck 3, Chakotay snapped out of his reverie. If they called security right away, they wouldn't have to deal with the chain of awkward events that had followed. He wouldn't be standing there with his gift in his hands, and even more important, the fragile understanding between the crews wouldn't be endangered.

He entered his quarters and put the jacket on a coat hanger. It would have to wait until next day, until the events of the evening faded out after a round of sound sleep. He could only hope that the rest of his shift would be uneventful.

* * *

Janeway was tossing in her bed, unsure if she'd be able to fall asleep at all. The evening had been going so well until Chakotay had showed up in the cargo bay. She had been sensing an impending disaster coming closer with every cheeky comment he had made. If they only had called for security instead of following the tiny creature by themselves… Janeway sighed and tossed her pillow.

- Earlier that evening -

Chakotay snapped out of his playful mood immediately. He covered the distance to the Baxial at a trot but still wasn't able to follow the dark furry ball. He entered the ship and felt his way to the next control panel from which he could turn the light on.

"Everything looks pretty normal… for the Baxial," supplied Janeway, running in a second later.

The bridge was full with metal garbage… useful garbage, most definitely. The clear surface of the main control panel peeked through it here and there – probably around the keys of vital functions. There was absolutely no chance of pursuing the creature in this mess of disassembled devices and wiring.

Fortunately, it came out by itself. Its large frilled ears appeared first, followed by the tiny body. It stood on the edge of something that could be a torpedo housing, its eyes locked on Janeway, its pointed nose sniffing the air. Fuzzy fur on the tips of its ears and on its back made the creature look like Neelix's distant relative.

Chakotay made a step towards it but Janeway grabbed his arm, pulling him back. She approached the creature slowly, one hand stretched out, with her tricorder in the other hand. Suddenly the tricorder made a loud beeping sound, and the furred ball disappeared behind the heaps of the garbage. Janeway turned to Chakotay.

"You know what's interesting, Commander? Our tricorders don't detect the Fluffy Ear."

"It looks Talaxian. Maybe the sensors of this ship can detect it," told Chakotay, clearing the main control panel off the metal garbage at one stroke.

Janeway tried to remember how the keys of the inner sensors looked like on the Baxial. The movements of her fingers were uncertain, but she gained confidence as the screen began showing the right data.

"Look, Chakotay. They are like gnats. Annoying, but apparently not dangerous. No wonder Neelix forgot to report them."

"Gnats? I'd call them rats. Are there many of them here?"

"It's hard to tell. Here, see? It's either a single creature or one family… the readings are not clear." Janeway pointed at the blurred triangle that marked the position on the ship's schematics.

"So, a job for the de-contamination team?"

"We have to catch them unharmed. I think we could greatly improve our sensors if we get to understand why these creatures can't be detected."

Chakotay could tell how excited Janeway was by the look at her face. He sensed it was the right moment…

"Err… Captain? I _assume_ you remember what you promised a few minutes ago… regarding the jacket, you know." He showed her the Maquis jacket that he was still holding in his hand. "These creatures don't pose any threat, so I figure we could allow ourselves to take advantage from being in Talaxian territory. Where the Starfleet regulations don't apply, you know."

Janeway gulped in surprise. She didn't expect she'd had to deal with that issue so soon. Factually, Chakotay was right. If she refused now it would be obvious that she chickened out. She sighed. What harm could a jacket possibly do?

She shed her uniform jacket reluctantly and put it on the console. The leather jacket was not designed to be worn over a Starfleet issue turtleneck but she'd be damned if she stripped down to her tank top.

The leather hugged her breasts as she tried to button up the jacket. She looked at Chakotay. He appeared triumphant.

"You know how it goes, Captain." Chakotay shrugged smugly. "I input your physical parameters into the computer and it suggested Female Earth Size 6 for you. But I decided you'd look better in a 5." His grin was entirely too suggestive.

_If you weren't my first officer, I'd slap you for that._ Janeway momentarily considered the validity of using Chakotay's own idea of their being in Talaxian territory as a loophole in the Starfleet regulations that prevented a captain from assaulting a subordinate.

Chakotay nodded towards her reflection in the Baxial's now-blank viewscreen. "Well, what do you think?"

Janeway turned her head to appraise her profile image. The jacket felt good. Hell, the jacket looked good. She smoothed a hand across her stomach. Perhaps it showed off a little bit more of her figure than a captain normally should, but it's not as if she was going to make a habit of wearing it.

She pivoted slowly to face the viewscreen head on. Her own eyes, muted to a grey color by the dull reflection, stared back at the outfit with increasing self-consciousness. Stiffly pressed black pants didn't exactly go with rugged leather. Her captain's pips peeked out above the leather collar and twinkled just slightly in the dim light. Everything about the jacket was rebellious. Everything about the woman underneath it was not.

A groove formed between her eyebrows at the thought. Her frown was slight, but it did not escape Chakotay's notice. "What's wrong?"

"I…" She stalled for time, "I just don't know that I'm the type of person that can look good in this kind of garment." She made a move to unbutton the top button.

"Wait…" His voice was soft but urgent. It froze her in place. "I think I know what's wrong." His hand moved toward her temple. "May I?" Her gaze was questioning. His gaze appealed to her to trust him. Her fingertips pinched the button at her bosom tightly, but she made no further move to undo it. He took her lack of objection as permission.

He reached behind her head and quickly found the comb that secured her bun. It slid out smoothly and an auburn cascade spilled down her back. Chakotay gently finger-combed her hair into two sections and teased it around her shoulders.

Janeway gaped at their reflection. Chakotay behind her, his eyelids lowered, clearly drinking in the scent of her now wild hair. He looked positively enraptured and she looked positively indecent.

Had she not been faced with the stark reality of their reflected appearance, she might have enjoyed the moment a second longer; but as it was, the thought of knowing that if anyone walked in on them, this is what they'd see was simply too much.

Janeway had to break the spell. She turned around to face him. "Chakotay." She tried to sound commanding as she took off the jacket.

At this very moment something cracked above their heads, and several screaming furry balls fell on Chakotay. He whirled and jumped to the side trying to throw them down, hit Janeway with the full weight of his body and they both fell on the main control panel. She managed to tap her comm badge that appeared right before her nose and demand an emergency transport to her quarters.

A few minutes later Chakotay was sitting on her sofa, his hair ruffled, his uniform slightly out of order. Janeway perched on the table in front of him, looking down at her first officer. He lost the lion share of his charm from before, but that was not the reason he couldn't look her in the eye. She was yet to start speaking.

She went to the replicator and came back with two mugs, putting one of them in front of him.

"Look, Chakotay. This isn't going to work like that."

She took a sip from her mug and went around the table to sit by his side.

"Our relationship may not be complicated by… complications." She looked down at her hands. "Frankly, I enjoy your lightness and your charm as well as your complete professionalism on duty. I wouldn't guess we'd go that long a way in such a short time."

Chakotay sucked in the air as though he was about to say something. Janeway stopped him with her eyes.

"Please. Let me finish.

"I sense the beginning of a beautiful friendship here that can be the key to the survival of our crew. I know you are aware of that, and I know you meant no disrespect down in the cargo bay. I can even say that I enjoy flirting with you – within certain boundaries. It's not only your fault. We both must tone down a little – that little that we can sustain the status quo as long as we are supposed to."

Janeway stood up and pulled her hair together in a pony tail. Chakotay made his way to the door but stopped midway and gave Janeway his best dimpled smile.

"How come that such a wise, such an attentive captain forgets that her first officer doesn't drink coffee?"

Janeway smiled back. "Maybe because she never knew? We'll have to get to know each other better, in an informal atmosphere. Maybe tomorrow at Sandrine's?"

-

Janeway didn't notice how she fell asleep. The last thing she put mentally on her to-do list was to fetch her Maquis jacket from the Baxial before informing Neelix and Tuvok about their tiny Fluffy Ear problem. Little did she know that it was already taken care of.


	4. Leather and Balls

_**Chapter 4. Leather and Balls.**_

Light piano chords filled Sandrine's. It was a shift change, and the holographic bartender appeared to be bored for the lack of visitors.

Janeway approached the table in the corner of the dimly lit room. "I was not sure I'd find you here."

Chakotay smiled. "And I wasn't sure you'd have time to come."

She sat down and ordered a drink. They waited for it to be brought. Silence dragged on.

"I think you forgot something yesterday." Chakotay handed her the leather garment that had been the source of so much trouble of late. He had managed to keep Tuvok from addressing the issue of the jacket directly during the briefing, but it was much harder with Neelix. He had made a mental note to compliment the captain on her poker face on occasion.

Janeway clicked her tongue. "Our crews have a long way to go. Just think, all that dissention, all that mistrust, just because someone found a stray Maquis jacket in Neelix's ship. Can you imagine what chaos would erupt if someone actually saw me wearing the thing?"

Chakotay looked intrigued.

Janeway read his mind. _Don't even suggest it._ She decided she needed to change the subject. "Play pool with me."

"No, they say you always win."

"Aw, come on. I'll make it interesting."

"How?"

"I don't know, what do you want?"

Chakotay's eyes lit up.

_Crap. I shouldn't have said that._

"Ok, I'll play with you. If I win, you have to wear full Maquis leather on the bridge tomorrow."

Janeway squinted her eyes and considered her options. "And if I win?"

Dimples at maximum. "I'll wear whatever you want."

"Rack 'em up, Commander!"


End file.
